Simon Boccanegra is one of Verdi's most dramatic and sombre operatic masterpieces with its themes of love, hate, treachery and reconciliation. It was written at the time of the tumultuous Italian Reunification and it draws from Verdi's own political views, which were in favour of a democratic state. It is a technically demanding opera nad requires huge power from its performers.

Verdi's grand opera is brought to life in Trust Record's live recording from the New Zealand Festival 2000 (MMT2045-46). This production features the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and the Chapman Tripp Chorus conducted by Marco Guidarini and directed by Stephen Lawless. Other international artists that feature are Gordon Hawkins, Vladimir Vaneev, Yaron Windmüller, Martin Snell, Nuccia Focile, James Meng and Wendy Dawn Thompson.

The performers featuring in this recording continue to perform in leading operatic roles world-wide. Internationally renowned soprano, Focile will perform the role of Donna Elvira in Mozart's Don Giovanni with the Welsh National Opera later this year. American baritone Hawkins recently performed in the Metropolitan Opera production of Gluck's Iphigénie en Tauride. This recording of Simon Boccanegra captures Thompson at the beginning of her career, of which she has now earned international acclaim, in particular when she represented New Zealand at the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition in 2005. Baritone Snell will be performing a number of roles for the Bayreuther Festspiele 2011.

Visit Trust Records to listen and order your copy of this excellent live recording of Simon Boccanegra (MMT2045-46).